Technical Field
The present invention relates to an engine test apparatus, for example, relates to an engine test apparatus including a dynamometer to measure various characteristics of an engine.
Related Art
Conventionally, a dynamometer system (engine test apparatus) has been used which has a dynamometer connected to a specimen including an engine to measure various characteristics of the engine by simulation. For example, a configuration of the dynamometer system is proposed in JP 5800001 B2. Here, with reference to FIG. 8, the configuration of the dynamometer system described in JP 5800001 B2 will be briefly described.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, a dynamometer system (engine test apparatus) 100 according to a related art includes a dynamometer D, a shaft (connecting shaft) S configured to connect an output shaft of an engine E and a rotation shaft of the dynamometer D, an engine control device 130 configured to control the engine E through a throttle actuator 120, an inverter 140 configured to supply electric power to the dynamometer D, a dynamometer control device 160 configured to control the dynamometer D through the inverter 140, a shaft torque sensor 150 configured to detect a torsion torque of the shaft S, and an encoder 161 configured to detect a rotation speed (rotation rate) of an output shaft of the dynamometer D.
Then, the engine control device 130 starts the engine E through the throttle actuator 120 at a predetermined time, and drives the engine E in a predetermined manner. In addition, the dynamometer control device 160 generates a torque current command corresponding to a torque value to be generated by the meter D, on the basis of a torsion torque (torsion torque at a portion closer to the dynamometer D) detected by the shaft torque sensor 150, and a rotation speed (rotation rate) of the dynamometer D detected by the encoder 161, and inputs the torque current command to the inverter 140 to control the operation of the dynamometer D.
Then, in the dynamometer system 100, the operation of the dynamometer D is controlled by a torque current command generated as described above, so that the engine E is controlled to be operated in an unloaded state as if the engine E is not connected to the shaft S and the dynamometer D, upon starting the engine E. That is, in the dynamometer system 100 described in JP 5800001 B2, “inertia compensation control” is performed in which the torsion torque of a portion of the shaft S closer to the dynamometer D, and the rotation speed (rotation rate) of the dynamometer D are used to determine a torque value to be generated by the dynamometer D, for control of an absorption torque of the dynamometer D.